


Not All Shall be Yours

by arpita



Category: Baahubali (Movies)
Genre: Angst, F/M, Tags, this is more of a follow up
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-30
Updated: 2019-05-30
Packaged: 2020-03-29 19:59:31
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,192
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19026895
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/arpita/pseuds/arpita
Summary: Bhalla understands that it would take him a lot more than mere persuasion to deal with certain things.





	Not All Shall be Yours

**Author's Note:**

  * For [MayavanavihariniHarini](https://archiveofourown.org/users/MayavanavihariniHarini/gifts).
  * Inspired by [Gada Parva](https://archiveofourown.org/works/18930655) by [MayavanavihariniHarini](https://archiveofourown.org/users/MayavanavihariniHarini/pseuds/MayavanavihariniHarini). 



Saurasena was beside himself with joy today. After all, it wasn’t every day, that an esteemed royal like the Elder Prince of Maahishmati -correction- King of Maahishmati- paid a voluntary, surprise visit to a Kingdom like Saurashtra. 

However, beneath the joy lay a trifle of trepidation as well. Vallabhi’s audacity might have invoked his ire. 

And, the King's wrath was well-famed, infamous, if you will. The entire country knew the fate of his rebellious cousin, and his equally audacious wife. 

But, now was not the time to ponder on such details, Saurasena reasoned. The King was granting him an audience of his own accord, which for its part was nothing smaller than a generosity in itself.

A conch, and a few trumpets announced that he was here. And Saurasena could only hope that Vallabhi would co-operate,-

- _This time._

 

***

'Behave yourself.' her father had commanded.

'He is the King of Maahishmati, and he sought an answer from you.'- her father had put special emphasis on Bhallaladeva's stature- 'Which was supposed to be in the affirmative.'

'And he shall have it in the negative.' Vallabhi had coldly replied.

Saurasena exasperatedly ran a hand on his forehead. 

'I do not understand.' he seated himself next to his daughter. 'You were sending letters to him only months ago, and now'-

-'I'd stopped all my courtesies the moment he'd decided to marry The Princess of Kuntala.'- Vallabhi had clearly stated, interrupting her father. 

'But the alliance didn't materialise, did it?' Saurasena was relentless. Princes of such powerful kingdoms had their occasional whims and fancies. Moreover, if Sivagami Devi had willed it, Bhallaladeva couldn't possibly have denied. 

'He was supposedly courting me, Baba.' Vallabhi acidly retorted. 'Not a day before The Queen Mother had proposed the match, Kumara Bhallaladeva had profusely written to me elaborating his affections for me! And then-' her voice had quivered as she reminisced of the moment when she had heard of Sivagami Devi's wish to marry her Elder Son to The Warrior Princess of Kuntala. 

Oh how she had cried while penning him another letter asking him if the rumours were true.

Of course, Bhalla had written back, in a manner most would describe as nonchalant.

 _-Worry not, my love-_ he had written, _-Mother seeks this alliance. I acquiesce to this, only to honour her word. As for us, we shall get married too, and you, Vallabhi, shall be my true Queen.'_

Vallabhi hadn't even bothered to read the entire letter before throwing it into the fireplace. The Princess of Kuntala might be her superior in beauty and warfare, but she was no second fiddle to her either. Bhalla could marry her all he wanted, but she had nothing to do with him anymore, she had somehow consoled herself.

Since then, she had been happy and she'd have continued to be so, had it not been for Bhalla's repeated overtures for seeking reconciliation. His multiple letters had gone unanswered, till he sent an official messenger, with the proposal of a matrimonial alliance, something that Bhalla knew very well would be heeded to, owing to the official nature of the arrangement.

 _And how truly had he predicted, for here was her father, standing in her chamber, relentlessly entreating a positive response from her._

'Keep your obstinacy aside, and give him his due regard, for your poor father, Vallabhi.' he had pleaded before leaving her chamber. 

***

Bhallaladeva was still impressed with the hospitality that Saurashtra had bestowed on him. And yet, for all his consideration, Vallabhi was the only one that seemed to matter to him. His stay in her kingdom constantly reminded him of the first time she had disarmed him both of his mace, and of his characteristic snark. 

He still didn't think he had done anything wrong by telling her that she would be his Queen, second only to Devasena in stature, but always the first in his affections. Devasena's love for Amarendra had given her its results. She was in prison, with her baby, -the only one who would pose a threat to him, torn from her-, probably dead. 

He had repeatedly sought her, in vain. He hadn't forced his way with her, of course, but her repeated rejections irked him. 

But, then, she would at most be an occasional fancy to him, unlike this girl, whom he genuinely loved. Devasena might be what she was, but she wasn't Vallabhi. 

And it was high time Vallabhi herself knew that. 

'I would seek to have a word with The Princess, Your Highness,' he had courteously said. 'she hasn't replied yet.' 

Saurasena had bowed away, only too happy to allow it. 

As Bhallaladeva was escorted to Vallabhi, he hoped she was just what he was hoping to see her as.

 

***

'Vallabhi!' Bhallaladeva happily beamed when he saw her standing in her chamber. Clad in yellow, she seemed to have blossomed a little more in the spring. Somehow, her material presence reminded him of her beauty and effervescence. 

He wished to pull her in an embrace, only to be cut in by steely courtesy.

'Your Highness.' she bowed.

Bhalla seemed to be caught unawares by this sudden show of courtesy. 

'Since when did you, of all people start heeding formal niceties?' he nervously laughed.

'I've been instructed by my father to give you, your due.' she spoke mechanically with a hint of sarcasm in her voice. 

'So we're formal acquaintances now?!' he asked as if it were an incredulity. 

'We shouldn't be anything more, My Lord.' she answered, her petite form upright. 

'Devasena was not my choice,' he said, desperately. To be very honest, The Princess of Kuntala was only a fascination, than a choice. 'Her brother had sent that idiot to Maahishmati without even clarifying who he was referring to.' 

'And you didn't feel the need to correct The Queen either, did you?' the question flew at him. 

'How does it matter?!' he snapped at her, seizing her in his arms. For all it was worth, he wanted to feel her warmth. Holding her in his arms was blissful, he hoped it would abate some of her anger. 

'I am here now, Vallabhi, can't you see?' he implored her. 'I would have come even if Devasena'-

-'You're hurting me, Your Highness.' she attempted to push him away.

'I haven't come here to be spurned.'- he tightened his grip around her, as she fidgeted with greater aggression. 

- _'You cannot have everyone at your mercy, Bhalla!'_ she lashed back. 

'Marry me.' Bhallaladeva all but pleaded. 'Be my wife and come with me to Maahishmati. I have an entire Kingdom at my feet. You shall'- 

-'I shall not marry you.' she closed her eyes. 'Kill me if you want, but you shall never have me as your wife.'

Bhalla released her with a jerk. She was certainly persistent, he realised. Persistent and offended, and hence she was being stubborn. 

'I shall come back.' Vallabhi heard a distinct resolve in his voice. 

She didn't bother herself with undue courtesies as he left with a searing rage within him, at least, she had conditioned herself to be immune to his ministrations.

 _That,_ was all the solace she needed.


End file.
